The NFL Draft is less than two weeks away. Now’s the time to plan ahead in dynasty. We see it every year: incoming rookies shake up depth charts and force veteran players to tumble into a value crash. If a team spends premium draft capital at a position in 2026, that can be a massive warning sign for any players already on the roster.
That’s my focus here. I’m not listing any quarterbacks or tight ends because I don’t see any major players in danger with the arrival of those rookies. We already know Fernando Mendoza is going No. 1 overall to the Raiders. Aside from him, there isn’t a signal-caller ready to step in and lead a team from the get-go. And maybe we get one or two tight ends that go early in the draft, but they’ll likely land on teams that have a massive need to fill.
Let’s get to it. Here are a few players whose dynasty value could take a hit once the picks start rolling in.
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Brace Yourself | Veterans Whose Dynasty Value is in Jeopardy
Tony Pollard | RB, Tennessee Titans
Like reading a book at the library (shhhh), Tony Pollard has quietly racked up four-straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons. The last two have come for the Titans, where his talents have been largely wasted on bad teams. Despite the rough environment, Pollard still amassed 2,161 rushing yards on 502 carries, caught 74 passes for 444 yards, and scored 10 total touchdowns while appearing in 33 of 34 games.
The problem is that Pollard is about to turn 29 years old and is entering the final year of his contract. With a new coaching staff in place and the club trying to turn things around after back-to-back years with a top-five draft pick, keeping Pollard doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Tony Pollard‘s Career Stats
Tennessee may decide it wants to get younger and more explosive at the position. That could happen as soon as pick No. 4. Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love is the consensus RB1 in this draft, and could be in play for the Titans if they decide they want to give Cam Ward a big-play threat in the backfield.
Even if the team doesn’t address the position that early, head coach Robert Saleh’s team could decide to take a back later in the draft. Should they do so on Day 2 or early on Day 3, that player could eat into Pollard’s workload if he sticks around.
If you’re holding Pollard, there’s a risk his value could tank if the team adds fresh legs at the position. If that happens, you have to hope for a trade of some sort, but NFL teams aren’t exactly lining up to trade for 29-year-old tailbacks.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt | RB, Washington Commanders
Sticking with the theme of players who could get nuked by Love’s arrival, Jacory Croskey-Merritt has to be on high alert. If “J-Love” makes it past the Titans, Giants, and Browns, I think his slide stops here at No. 7.
Croskey-Merritt was a fun story last year, finishing with 805 rushing yards and eight TDs, but he’s not a home-run hitter like Love. Adding the Notre Dame stud would give the Commanders a devastating combo of speed and athleticism alongside Jayden Daniels. The two together could wreak havoc on defenses. Think a younger version of a Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry combo.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt‘s Advanced Metrics
Even if the Commanders don’t land Love, Croskey-Merritt’s dynasty value still feels tenuous. He was a seventh-round pick last year and on the older side, having just turned 25. On top of that, the team signed former Buccaneer Rachaad White, who is a good friend of Daniels from their Arizona State days, and also added Jerome Ford in free agency.
Croskey-Merritt managers are hoping he survives the draft. But even if Washington ignores the position, it’s already a crowded backfield. Managers might want to get out of the Croskey-Merritt business now, before it completely craters.
Jerry Jeudy | WR, Cleveland Browns
After a disastrous 2025 campaign that produced just 602 receiving yards and only two touchdowns more than you and I had, Jerry Jeudy‘s dynasty value is on life support. It was a brutal follow-up to the 90-catch, 1,229-yard season he posted the year prior, making last season even more of a disappointment.
Part of Jeudy’s allure is that he’s the only established wideout on Cleveland’s roster. However, that could be changing on draft night. The buzz right now is that the Browns may have Ohio State’s Carnell Tate in their sights with the No. 6 overall pick. It’s not hard to see why. Tate’s skills on the outside would be a perfect complement to tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who broke out as a rookie last year and thrives in short and intermediate areas of the field.
If Cleveland pulls the trigger on Tate — or takes a wideout with their second first-round pick at No. 24 — that could spell the end for Jeudy’s shaky value. He’s still only 27, so he’s not over the hill just yet, but a lot of managers seem ready to throw in the towel on the former first-rounder after last year’s debacle.
If a high-profile playmaker joins the offense, Jeudy probably settles into being the third option in a passing attack for either Shedeur Sanders or DeShaun Watson in 2026, and neither of those guys inspires much confidence.
Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy | WR, Kansas City Chiefs
For the first time in ages, the Chiefs have a top-10 pick. If they decide to use the No. 9 overall pick on a pass-catcher, that could spell doom for either one of these guys.
In Rashee Rice‘s case, he is entering a contract year and has a lengthy history of injuries and well-documented off-field issues. As much as Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes may like using him as a yards-after-catch (YAC) weapon in the short passing game, the organization may decide it’s best to move on after this season. After all, Rice is still on probation for several more years and has to serve 30 days in jail at some point after his involvement in a 2024 car crash. At a certain point, the headache may not be worth dealing with anymore.
Xavier Worthy‘s Advanced Metrics
As for Xavier Worthy, last year felt like a run of bad luck. He hurt his shoulder just three plays into the season after colliding with Travis Kelce on a shallow crosser. He missed two games and just didn’t look right all season, struggling to play through the injury. After scoring nine times in a promising rookie campaign, Worthy managed just one touchdown in 2025 and averaged a measly 7.9 fantasy points per game (FPPG), good for WR54 overall. Maybe he’ll bounce back next season, or maybe Worthy is just a one-trick pony, and an undersized one at that.
Many mock drafts have Kansas City targeting one of the top wideouts in Round 1. If it’s an outside guy like Jordyn Tyson, that would signify they don’t believe in Worthy long-term. If it’s more of a slot guy like Makai Lemon, that could tip their hand when it comes to Rice’s future. Even if they pass on the position early, there will still be a lot of intriguing WR talent on the board in Rounds 2 and 3.
Khalil Shakir | WR, Buffalo Bills
It seems like a foregone conclusion that the Buffalo Bills will add a receiver early in the draft. It’s a position that’s plagued them for several seasons now. They swung and missed on Keon Coleman, which pushed them to go out and acquire D.J. Moore this offseason.
Moore is already going into his age-29 season, and Buffalo still needs weapons for Josh Allen. Especially while he’s still in his prime and the team is trying to win its first Super Bowl. This is where Khalil Shakir‘s value could take a big hit.
Khalil Shakir‘s 2025 Explosive Play Rating
Omar Cooper Jr. and KC Concepcion are two players who figure to be available when the Bills are on the clock at pick No. 26. Both players are versatile enough to play both inside and outside. However, they are at their best when in space with the ball in their hands — basically, just like Shakir, who gobbles up low aDOT targets in this offense.
The 26-year-old Shakir just signed a 4-year, $53 million deal last offseason, so he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. But if Buffalo spends premier draft capital on a receiver even after adding Moore, Shakir is likely to move down the pecking order. That’ll mean fewer snaps and targets for a player who needs heavy volume to remain fantasy relevant.
Zach Charbonnet | RB, Seattle Seahawks
Popular opinion has the reigning Super Bowl Champions taking a tailback early in the draft. Makes sense. They let Kenneth Walker walk in free agency, despite his magical playoff run. They also need someone to tote the rock with Zach Charbonnet on the mend. Charbonnet tore his ACL in the Divisional Round but didn’t have surgery until February 20th. Translation: he’s missing games in 2026. Maybe a lot of them.
With only George Holani and newly signed Emanuel Wilson healthy, Seattle may elect to take a stab at its next feature back at pick 32, or sometime on Day 2. If they decide to add a running back that early, it doesn’t bode well for Charbonnet, who’s going into a contract year while rehabbing a major knee injury.
Zach Charbonnet‘s 2025 Efficiency Metrics
Charbonnet ran for a career-high 730 yards and 12 scores last year, but he was rather inefficient on his touches. The former UCLA Bruin averaged only 4.3 yards per touch (RB43), with an Expected Points Added (EPA) of only +2.1 (RB32) and an Explosive Rating (EPX) of 87.4 (RB44).
Any ballcarrier who lands in Seattle with decent capital has a golden opportunity awaiting them from the jump. They’ll likely step into double-digit touches right away, and could lock down the lead back role before Charbonnet ever has a chance to see the field again.
